Duty
by Miyavilurver
Summary: Kakashi comes to the rescue.
1. Naruto

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

After a long period of Hiatus I present my readers with this random thing:

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Naruto moaned, faced flushed crimson in delirium. He whimpered softly wishing it would all come to an end. His hands lay limply across the ground rendering useless, his bones feeling awkward and numb inside of his stiff body. His skin was a pinkish hue marked in angry slits. He shifted ever-so-slightly, attempting to move, but the pain was too grand. He groaned loudly. Blearily, he tried opening his eyes; pained blue irises immediately shutting close because he could not handle the stinging pain the action had caused. He heard footsteps approach; common sense screamed at him to pretend to be unconscious. Time seemed to go by too slow. Naruto could feel the radiating hate approaching him. He wished he could move. He felt useless. Weak. The figure broke into a dark mocking laugher that sent shivers down his spine.

"I know you're awake." The figure whispered gruffly, right next to his ear. Rough digits poked at him but he gave him no response, continuing his pretense. He would let him seethe; he would not give him the pleasure of watching his pain.

The figure growled angrily, as Naruto knew he would. He did not, however, expect the backhand that stung cheek.

"Don't you **_dare _**ignore me, brat!" The figured hissed sharply. He felt the figure grip at his throat, squeezing tightly. Naruto jerked, eyes snapping open through his pain as he attempted to breathe only to gag painfully, his throat constricting under the bruising pressure. His struggles were weak, futile, and the figure roared in laughter at his attempts.

"No one will save you," The dark figure spat, his grip tightening and Naruto felt his eyes sting angrily as he continued to choke. He felt his vision begin to blur and faintly wondered whether he was going to die; frankly he preferred kicking this guy's ass over kicking the bucket. "No one will come." The man repeated with an odd tone in his voice that sounded too much like glee. Then the pressure stopped, as abruptly as it had commenced. His only proof of the event was a disgruntled ache, as well as a sharp sting that ran through his body as he was deposited harshly on the ground. The man's words rang loudly through his mind.

He glared hiding his hurt, hiding how much the words affected him. He felt the figure move closer, a soft touch combed through his hair almost caringly, mockingly, before the golden locks were gripped tightly—a hiss escaped him as they were twisted painfully.

"No one _wants _you. You should've learned that by now. Are you still hoping they will come?" The blade felt cool against his feverish skin. Chakra infused beneath his skin as wound after wound appeared and disappeared. He felt exhausted. He was brinking his end, and the other nin knew it. He scowled in displeasure, because he knew he was stronger than this, because he knew that he was going to become Hokage and nothing would stop him. This was just another obstacle in the course, but right now everything seemed unreal as he faced his death.

"You amuse me. It almost makes me want to keep you alive!" The nin exclaimed excitedly digging the blade deeper and opposing his words. The chakra worked faster with each wound but they both knew it would eventually wear out. Nothing could save him—but the optimist in him opposed this and worked desperately to come up with a plan that would get him out of this mess. He was Konoha's most surprising ninja; he would survive this. He had to. There was so much he wanted to do: he wanted to prove himself to the villagers, wanted the acknowledgement, wanted to become stronger, wanted to be the best; wanted the whispers, the man to stop—because it _hurt so much_ and he wanted it to stop _stop_—"_stop it_!" He called out, his voice cracking hoarsely and desperately; and the figure did, surprisingly, stop.

Naruto heard him speak, but could not make out the words as his head throbbed, feeling each beat like the beating of his racing heart. The voice was laced with dark amusement, each word brought upon him a new injury and his body stung with bruises and closed wounds that were caked with his blood. He breathed harshly, needing the oxygen that flowed into his lungs, and inhaled it like a man that hadn't drunk water in decades. Naruto felt an uncontrollable fear pass through him. His hopes were slowly dashing. He felt too weak to move, too weak to breathe. He was in the middle of a breakdown. He didn't want to die! He felt so faint... He craned his head upwards hoping to stare down his assaulter but only met mismatched eyes at a distance. 'What…?' He mumbled bemusedly.

Suddenly everything stopped. A tremulous silence filled the clearing before the rogue nin let out a malicious smirk and turned around to face their intruder.

After a moment of silence, his assaulter finally decided to speak to their guest, his voice smug and triumphant.

"It was inevitable." Naruto felt him shift beside him, the hands, the blade, leaving him.

"Did you think this boy would survive, being what he is? I'm surprised you came to save him." He sounded honestly perplexed at the intruder's actions, though his voice was laced with venomous spite. Naruto felt sick to his stomach and wished he could do nothing more than to retch. He couldn't sketch out the new figure up ahead—there was a mixture of colors: grey, green, blue, and an unmistakable red. Then the body shifted and was gone.

The nin snarled. The rough, grimy touch of his hands grabbed at his hair again and pulled, receiving an irritable growl from the struggling blonde. The grubby touch of his blade, now smeared with his blood, trailed down across his cheeks, meeting the whiskers and opening new wounds; blood gushed out slowly before the gash instantly healed. He felt the sticky liquid travel past his lips, and unconsciously lapped at the substance, his face turning into a disgusted grimace at the bitter taste. The blade pressed tightly at his throat.

"Come out!" His assaulter demanded. "Come out before he dies before your eyes, Kakashi." Naruto's eyes widened at the name. Feelings of survival overwhelmed him. "Sensei…" he croaked painfully.

The screeching sound of a thousand birds filled out the forest and he felt the grip of his hair tighten desperately. "If I die he dies with me!" The nin yelled out in panic. Naruto grew uncomfortable as the blade began to pierce his skin.

The sound neared them. The nin shook slightly before making him stand—Naruto stumbled, the constant pull at his hair leaving him dazed. Abruptly he fell to the ground, on his knees, his arms shaking as they attempted to support his weight until he ultimately fell face-flat against the spinning ground.

"Gyaah!" He let out a shattering scream, feeling something snap—his voice was tight with delirium as he felt the bloodied hands grab him, his wounds throbbing.

"Naruto!" A voice, it sounded different, called out to him. The hands gripped him and pulled him to their chest. He heard something, but he couldn't distinguish it. It sounded reassuring. He couldn't make it out through the pain. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt…

_You're going to be okay…_

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So...-crickets chirp- It's been a while hasn't it been? I haven't written in ages. -hides from rotten tomatoes and sharp pointy objects- But I'm back! I swear I am...for as long as I can... I'm currently writing out my latest chapter for Are you that Willing to Break me?...which hasn't been updated...in a very long time...-laughs awkwardly and hides- I would just like to say I am soooo sorry. Please don't kill me?

Anyway this was a random write which might or not might be updated. I haven't decided yet. I'm so terrible to Naruto, always torturing the poor boy. I have, however, always liked KakashixNaruto mentor fics. Which are actually lacking to much of my disappointment. I can never find what I really want so I guess I'll have to work on it. Possibly. If I don't get too distracted that is. Well, I'll be updating soon.

Don't forget to review!

_**Rya.**_


	2. Kakashi

Kakashi's nerves were frayed to his last end. Of all the lousy days that Naruto had chosen to get kidnapped, it had to be today. His day had actually started out relatively nice: there were no mission reports due, no assignments to go to, no team meetings to attend—in fact, Kakashi had been planning on resting away at home reading his most prized novel, perhaps visiting Gai for a spar later on when he thought he could handle the Green-Beast of Konoha's antics. But then again, he should've known that such a perfect day would be ruined. He had been in the middle of his lunch, contemplating if he should head over to Gai's after his meal or wait until later, when the Godaime had summoned him. He had half a mind to show up late but in retrospect he would be glad not to have done so.

The woman was furious. Her eyes spoke volumes of rage as she informed him that his young student had gone missing, and that no one had seen him, nor could they find him anywhere—_and why hadn't Kakashi noticed_, she demanded. Her eyes narrowed menacingly and he was dispatched immediately, off to find his student under the threat of bodily harm; not to mention restricted access to the bookstore and he knew very well the veiled implications under that threat.

He was mildly annoyed. He knew the blonde could take care of himself, but really, he was beginning to worry. It had been more than a few hours already and Naruto was nowhere to be seen. He was beginning to take Tsunade's worries more seriously as he sped up his search. He summoned his pack of dogs and hoped that they would be able to find his student soon.

It was quiet. The only noises heard were of the forests' own inhabitants: birds chirping, leaves rustling, the soothing sounds of the running river, and the desperate voice of a young male child as he uttered a hoarse, "_stop it!" _

Kakashi startled to a stop.

A soft almost inaudible groan was heard before a louder, much gruffer voice started shouting. Kakashi dashed into the direction of the voice.

He could see them at the distance. Naruto, pale and flushed and panting, looking as if he'd pass out any moment in delirium—and Naoki, holding the boy by the throat, shoving him against the tree's trunk, shouting like a deranged madman, whispering threats, slashing rabidly at his student.

Kakashi saw red, knuckles white and trembling at his side.

A faint moan escaped his student's lips, sapphire eyes straining to open. Blood smattered about his face, his body, Kakashi noticed feeling his breath catch at his throat. Their eyes met, briefly, but Kakashi was already moving, drowning his fury with determination—(no longer seeing the bright azure eyes pleading but deep onyx and a childish smile, the sense of failure and regret chocking and—)

"It was inevitable." Naoki called out to the clearing, dropping his victim to the ground unconcernedly.

Quietly Kakashi approached the clearing, hiding his chakra, knowing he had already given himself away the moment he had set his eyes on his student (a sight that had snapped the tight cord that kept his emotions in check)

"Did you think this boy would survive, being what he is?" Naoki questioned, his eyes searching the clearing in suspicion, trying to catch a glimpse of him. "I'm surprised you came to save him." The nin laughed, amused, and spiteful, and wild.

Naoki picking up the blonde by his hair, twisting it, retrieving his blade and trailing it down across whiskered cheeks, opening new wounds; the blood gushed out slowly, ruby stains on the pale complexion, which lingered long after the closing wounds. The blade moved threateningly at Naruto's throat.

"Come out!" Naoki demanded brashly, and Kakashi held his breath tightly as he began summoning his Chidori. "Come out before he dies before your eyes, Kakashi!"

The screeching sound of a thousand birds filled out the forest, echoing loudly. Kakashi felt adrenaline pump at his veins as he lunged at them, hearing Naoki faintly scream in panic_—"If I die he dies with me!", _watching as his former comrade pulled Naruto closer making him into an impromptu shield, his eyes widening—and then, it was over: Naoki loosening his hold on his blade and his student, his body falling limp over his arm, which was now soaked in his blood.

_He deserved it_, his mind hissed, echoing like a mantra as he stared coldly at the limp body. He shrugged the corpse off him, feeling a satisfying roar coarse through him, his chest, stomach jumping in exhilaration, feeling as if he had finally won the war, as if he had never let Obito died, because now he was safe, and nothing was going to take him away from him again.

Naruto screamed.

Loud, and agonizingly, and Kakashi winced as he heard the snap of a bone, staring horrified at his student—his _student, _he reminded himself, shaking away the ghosts of his past as he called out to his student in alarm—who gasped and choked throatily, gagging at the blood that dribbled from his mouth.

Panic overwhelmed him. He moved quickly, gathering his student in his arms, no longer thinking of corpses and triumph and Obito, but of his student, bloody and helpless in his arms.

The boy was injured; he had to get him back to the village. At least the worst was over for now: the threat had been assassinated and Naruto was relatively safe. He tried reassuring himself, making his way back up his feet and out of the clearing. Naruto breathed harshly, his voice struggling to speak, only capable of letting out a faint "Kakashi…sensei…?" before he passed out again. Something indistinguishable filled his chest, and Kakashi closed his eyes, feeling regret pour over him again. "Naruto," he sighed running a hand through his slumbering student's hair. "Looks like I was late again. I'm sorry." _I failed you_, he wanted to say but didn't dare too.

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I haven't written in ages. It felt good to do so again.

I'm not quite sure what I'm doing with this story. It's writing itself on its own really.

I don't know what to do about the title of summary of this thing. Any suggestions?

Rya.


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